HP Slim Keyboard Expansion Pack for iPAQ 3800, 3900, 4100, 5100, 5400, 5500 Series

by HP

Product Details

• Item Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000CDJP8
• Item model number: FA141A#ABA
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 30, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

What's the closest thing to an iPAQ integrated keyboard? The HP slim keyboard. Slide it on your iPAQ Pocket PC like an expansion pack and watch your productivity jump.

• Enjoy complete keyboard functionality with this compact add-on
• Enjoy the convenience of mobile e-mail
• Take notes more easily and efficiently
• Protect the display during transit with the transparent, type-through keyboard cover
• Leave the keyboard attached to your iPAQ; no need to remove it when docking or changing a battery
• Save money over the cost of a full-size foldable keyboard

Product Description

HEWLETT PACKARD (FA141A#ABA) Slim Keyboard - keyboard

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good hardware concept - poorly executed software, May 2, 2004

By 

dm "millerda20" (Carlisle, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: HP Slim Keyboard Expansion Pack for iPAQ 3800, 3900, 4100, 5100, 5400, 5500 Series (Office Product)

Keyboard is well designed and fits solidly to Ipaq. Keys are well defined and provide positive feedback when pressed. A see-through plastic cover like the one that comes with the basic unit is attached to the keyboard and serves to protect the screen if the unit is in your pocket or briefcase. Overall good ergonomics for the hardware.
I'd like to say I leave the slim keyboard attached all the time and use it regularly, but I don't because it doesn't deliver in performance. The software is buggy and conflicts with other programs. Sometimes it works fine, other times it types random characters - other times it doesn't type at all. Despite HP's updates to the driver, it is still buggy, so it sits in a drawer until HP releases another update, then I'll try it again. I also have the HP folding keyboard which I use regularly without any problems, so I have to conclude it is a problem with the slim keyboard. Attempts to bring the problems to the attention of HP resulted in no reply to my emails.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't even work half the time, July 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: HP Slim Keyboard Expansion Pack for iPAQ 3800, 3900, 4100, 5100, 5400, 5500 Series (Office Product)

It is all in the title. The first time I tried to use the slim keyboard it wouldn't work. I tried a number of time here and there but never could get it to do anything when I typed on the keys. I tired it again a few months later and the miracle is that the keyboad worked. Then I recharged my ipaq and tried the slim keyboard again and again it didn't work. I have tried a number of thing thinking it was perhaps me who was stupid. Turns out it is the key board that is stupid. Go figure. Well HP looks as if you have done it again.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I like it but there are quarks....., August 19, 2004

By 

Pylon (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: HP Slim Keyboard Expansion Pack for iPAQ 3800, 3900, 4100, 5100, 5400, 5500 Series (Office Product)

It works well after I spent time working with HP customer service. Here is what happened:
I bought the slim keyboard (let's call it "s1") here at Amazon. When I insert my IPAQ 5555 the first time after following instructions to upload softwares...etc. Nothing worked. Hitting the keys did not put any letters in the test area. When I set the whole contraption on the cradle, I can see it is connected. Light came on. My desk top wouldn't recognize the device at all. What happened was the s1 and my ipaq didn't fit perfectly. You can't just push it in. You have to push it forward (with fingers on battery side) as you slide it down to get to hearing a "click" as it is described in the manual. (I found this tip from searching the net). Even so, the contacts were not flush with each other.

I called HP service (they are great). They shipped me a replacement right away. I got it in 2 days. Let's call the 2nd one "s2". Apparently the s1 from Amazon was from an older batch. s2 fits easily and much better. Still, nothing worked. IPAQ won't sync with s2 attached via the cradle.
Called HP and they told me that the slim keyboard was developed for early IPAQ models while 5555 was newly added. They also pointed out that there were firmware and software updates for my 5555 at the HP download sites. One of the firmwares is a bios update. I thought "Oh, Great!", I was going to screw up everything now updating the bios myself. I didn't have much luck updating bios on my desktop before. So I backed up my files. Get all the extra software I loaded ready so I can reload everything afterwards. Updating bios will erase everything and restore to factory defaults. Well I did it and s2 worked beautifully. I sent my s1 back to HP.
Then I noticed the s2 has some foreign characters on the alternate keys (those that you get to with hitting the "function" key first). It looks like that the keyboard is built for a different country. So, I called HP again. They sent me another replacement keyboard (s3). I sent back s2.
Well, s3 has the "z" and the "y" keys switched position. I called HP, got them to send s4 and I returned s3.
Now, I have been using the s4 for months and loved it. With s4 attached, the unit is too long to fit in any carrying case, so I have to be careful. It also covers up the finger print scanner, so that feature is out.

My experience: I love HP customer service. They were nice. They called me for followups after my call to see if everything was working each time. They shipped promptly and returning was easy. Didn't cost me a dime. Cost HP a lot I am sure. At first I didn' t like the extra plastic cover because when I need to touch screen, I have to open it. What a hassle. Now I am used to it.